Flooded villagers say public inquiry IS needed

FLOOD-hit villagers say a public enquiry into Somerset’s floods IS needed – despite Bridgwater’s MP and the PM saying it would be a waste of time and money.

As reported, Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger and Prime Minister David Cameron discussed an enquiry but felt it would “cost a fortune, take too much time to complete and reveal nothing new”.

Mr Liddell-Grainger said: “If people want an enquiry to have someone to blame, the finger has already pointed at the Environment Agency – that’s why the new chairman is an engineer.”

But Bridgwater councillor Julian Taylor, who lives in flood-hit Fordgate, told the Mercury: “Our MP, Mr Liddell-Grainger, says there’s no need for a public enquiry because he says we already know why we flooded – but we don’t know.

“An enquiry needs to happen and it needs to be open and frank and detail the chronology of events leading up to the flooding.

“We need an investigation and for logs to be released by the Environment Agency and Gold Command.